Ask yourself if you feel:
• nervous or "empty"
• guilty or worthless
• very tired and slowed down
• you don't enjoy the things the way you used to
• restless or irritable
• like no one loves you
• like life is not worth living

Or if you are:
• experiencing insomnia, waking up early in the morning or tend to oversleep
• eating more or less than you used to
• having thoughts about suicide or have attempted suicide
• having persistent headaches, stomach aches, or chronic pain

These may be symptoms of depression which is a treatable medical illness that many people suffer from. It is absolutely crucial to realize that these negative views are part of the depression and do not accureately reflect the actual circumstances. Negative thinking fades as treatment begins to take effect. So it is not you, it's the neurotransmitters!

The great thing I found out was that there is free help available when you call 412-624-4444. You can even get free medication if you join the the medicine program. You can also take a crude depression screening test, unipolar drepssion quiz, and a manic test or two online. Here is also a page that compares Mania and Hypomania. .

They say depression can be caused by stress, change in environment, new responsibilities, or physical/hormonal changes. This seems very common since about 10% of the population experience one form of depression or another during their lifetime. The good news is that apparently after years of research even the most severe form of depression can be treated using medication or psychological therapies.

There you go! My new-found knowledge. :)